Nearly two hundred more vicious beasts entered the Blood Pool. The formation activated, and one beast after another died horribly, while others survived and successfully condensed phantoms.
This continued for a long time.
At last, it was almost the Nether Spring Branch's turn. Chen Lin was among them.
Qiu Ming glanced back at Chen Lin and the other vicious beasts, a trace of hope in his eyes. In a low voice, he said, "If any of the vicious beasts brought back by each branch are promising young talents, the branch master can choose them as disciples first. I only hope we're lucky enough to find a few more good prospects for cultivation. If so, the branch master might be pleased and grant us a generous reward."
"Most of this comes down to luck. We can't force it." Wu Lan shook his head, noncommittal. Then, as if remembering something, he patted the small pouch attached to the golden-threaded bag at his waist. Several brocade boxes appeared in his hand.
"These Baleful-Dissolving Pills were refined by our grand-uncle over the past three years. The success rate is extremely low, so each pill is precious beyond measure. Grand-uncle told us to distribute them to the vicious beasts we'd taken a liking to, to improve their chances of survival."
Wu Lan and Qiu Ming opened the boxes. Inside were blood-red pills the size of goose eggs, plain and unremarkable in appearance. The two then sent the pills into the bodies of various vicious beasts. Each vicious beast in the Xiantian Realm received one, while the remaining pills went to beasts with unusual auras and impressive potential. Chen Lin received one as well.
A thought struck him. Before the pill inside him could dissolve, Chen Lin quickly contacted the Main God Coffin.
"Baleful-Dissolving Pill, quality: low-grade. For one hour after consumption, it can slowly dissolve Killing Intent within the body. Evaluation: Refined using an extremely crude alchemy method."
A glint flashed in Chen Lin's eyes as he checked whether the pill was available in the system space. He was pleasantly surprised to find it in the exchange list—and every one of them was top quality. Perhaps because its effects were niche, each pill cost only 30 points of Death Energy!
"Baleful-Dissolving Pill, quality: top-grade. For three hours after consumption, it can quickly dissolve Killing Intent within the body."
A red glint flashed in Chen Lin's eyes. He made the exchange.
The next moment, a top-grade Baleful-Dissolving Pill appeared in his mouth. He quickly swallowed it before anyone nearby noticed.
Another half hour passed. Sixty-seven demon branches had completed their cleansing, and at last, it was the Nether Spring Branch's turn.
It seemed the Nether Spring Branch truly was in decline among the Myriad Demon Sect's seventy-two demon branches. They had been ranked sixty-eighth.
"Next group, the Nether Spring Branch. Enter the Blood Pool and undergo cleansing!"
Chu Duanyu's cold voice rang down from midair.
Hidden among the vicious beasts, Chen Lin followed Qiu Ming and Wu Lan into the Blood Pool, as instructed.
Once all the beasts had entered, the formation abruptly activated!
"ROAR!!"
"GRAAAH!!"
Several wretched cries rang out in succession. A few beasts' bodies exploded outright, spraying blood through the air. Others went mad as Killing Intent invaded their bodies, losing all reason before their heads burst open, spraying scarlet blood and pale brain matter everywhere.
Ignoring the beasts going berserk around him, Chen Lin sensed something was wrong the moment he entered the Blood Pool. The violent Killing Intent here was practically soul-rending; it was more than he could endure. He hurriedly activated the Baleful-Dissolving Pill inside him, and only then did he feel a little better.
Suddenly, wisps of black energy—visible only to Chen Lin—shot into his body.
Chen Lin froze, then was overcome by an uncontrollable rush of joy. Amid the chaos, he was thrilled to discover that every time a vicious beast died, it brought him a massive number of Death Energy points!
1541 points, 1678 points, 1793 points, 2175 points...
How could the vicious beasts chosen to undergo cleansing in the Blood Pool be ordinary? Each dead beast yielded at least 30 points of Death Energy! Even Xiantian beasts were dying, and each one was worth a staggering 200 points! There were a full 170 beasts in this batch!
But before Chen Lin could savor his excitement, a massive wave of savage Killing Intent invaded his body. His bones creaked under the strain, and his flesh was on the verge of collapsing. His heart plunged into an icy abyss.
"Alert: The system has detected pure Killing Intent. The contractor may draw the Killing Intent into their body to cultivate the Dragon-Elephant Nirvana Art. The rate of improvement will be beyond measure..."
Just as Chen Lin gritted his teeth and prepared to exchange for several more Baleful-Dissolving Pills to neutralize the Killing Intent inside him, the Guide's cold voice sounded in his mind, stopping him.
In that moment of hesitation, a torrent of Killing Intent surged into him. Chen Lin's body could no longer withstand its violent force. Flesh and blood fell from him in shreds, pattering into the Blood Pool—like the last notes of a faint, mournful melody.
"Alas, it seems I misjudged him. I thought the little fellow might be different, but I never expected him to perish after holding on for such a short time."
Wu Lan folded his arms and watched the vicious beasts struggling for life and death in the Blood Pool. When his gaze happened to pass over Chen Lin, recognition flickered in his eyes, followed by disappointment. He shook his head and sighed. Chen Lin's refusal to fear their imposing presence, and his courage in resisting it, had evidently left a deep impression on him.
"There's nothing we can do about it. Still... huh? Something's wrong!" Qiu Ming hadn't finished speaking when his expression suddenly changed.
Just as Chen Lin's entire body was on the verge of melting and disintegrating in the Blood Pool, the situation took an unexpected turn.
Innate Divine Ability: Blood Absorption Healing!
Suddenly, Chen Lin's body twisted into a vortex. The thick blood in the Blood Pool around him began to flow, gathering at the vortex and being swallowed as if it were mud flowing into the sea!
This was the Blood Pool, where the essence blood of peerless Heavenly Demons had gathered throughout the ages! Though much of its flesh and blood essence had dissipated over time, it still held immense energy, far beyond Chen Lin's imagination. In the space of a few breaths, his body rapidly reformed!
"This... this, this..."
Wu Lan and Qiu Ming stared in stunned silence, as if they'd witnessed something impossible.
The instant his body was restored, another torrent of violent Killing Intent roared into Chen Lin!
"Everything under heaven shares the same root; all things share the same body. The heart is the trunk, the body the earth. Killing Intent enters the body, flowing through the meridians within and the skin without..."
Following the Guide's instructions, Chen Lin held his breath, focused his mind, and began cultivating the Dragon-Elephant Nirvana Art!!
This time, Chen Lin lasted three breaths before his body could no longer withstand the impact of the Killing Intent and shattered piece by piece!
Pain—unbearable pain!
As his flesh and blood tore apart, Chen Lin felt as if he were being sliced by a thousand knives!
Blood Absorption Healing activated once more!
Threads of thick, surging blood circled him, rapidly sucked into Chen Lin's body as if it were a sponge soaking up water.
"Huh?"
This time, not only were Wu Lan and Qiu Ming dumbstruck, but several branch masters on the altar also noticed the change in Chen Lin. Their expressions grew grave.
Dragon-Elephant Nirvana Art, eighth layer! 240,000 jin of force, 120 tons!
This time, before Chen Lin could feel the thrill of his rising strength, his body was once again filled with violent Killing Intent, and the next round of shattering began! This time, he lasted five breaths!
His body rapidly healed again. Dragon-Elephant Nirvana Art, ninth layer! 270,000 jin of force, 135 tons!
Killing Intent entered his body, his body collapsed, Blood Absorption Healing activated, and his body was restored. This strange, uncanny cycle repeated itself over and over in Chen Lin, finally drawing the attention of every powerhouse on the altar!
Dragon-Elephant Nirvana Art, tenth layer! 300,000 jin of force, 150 tons! Ten breaths, and his body shattered again!
Dragon-Elephant Nirvana Art, eleventh layer! 330,000 jin of force, 165 tons! Twenty breaths, and his body shattered once more!
The branch masters on the altar exchanged bewildered glances, then fixed their astonished gazes on Chen Lin. They had never seen such a strange phenomenon at any previous Blood Pool Cleansing Ceremony, and couldn't help but grow immensely hopeful about him.
Even Li Juekong's eyes flickered with surprise.
"...Senior brother, I think we brought back a monster!"
Qiu Ming swallowed and spoke to the equally stunned Wu Lan, his voice dry.
"Mm..."
Wu Lan nodded, staring unblinkingly at the little mantis whose body kept collapsing in the Blood Pool. His eyes held a trace of excited hope. Perhaps this little mantis might bring an unexpected turning point for the Nether Spring Branch...
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